BSS students recognized for contributions to recycling program

Tim White (left) and Carlin Boyles (right) have been helping out with Blessed Sacrament School’s recycling program since September 2016.

Blessed Sacrament School (BSS) is recognizing the outstanding efforts of two grade eight students this month after they spent the school year helping to collect recycled paper from each classroom as part of the school-wide recycling program. The students, Carlin Boyles and Tim White, began gathering the recycling from each classroom at the beginning of the school year in order to collect the service hours that every grade eight student is required to complete.

After four months of collecting the recycling, Boyles and White had completed their service hours, however, they took it upon themselves to continue to do the job every week until the end of the school year.

“They did 150 per cent more than what they were required to do. Four months satisfied their service hours, and they did it for 10 months. That’s what impressed me,” said BSS French teacher Vikki Boyles.

“That initiative and ownership is what we hope to develop in all of our students, and when they do it independently, that’s really great to see and it lightens our load. Teachers don’t even have to think about it. The program was a little bit hit and miss before, and teachers would have to say ‘Hey we need our bins emptied.’ But when it happens automatically it’s one fewer thing for teachers to have to think about.”

Recycling is something that is important to both of the students, and Carlin says he plans to continue to help with the recycling program next year.

“If we don’t recycle, then inflammation will happen and products will cost more, and there will be more garbage in the landfill. The world will be bad to live in. I wouldn’t say it’s necessarily a big job, it does take a lot of time, but it’s pretty simple,” said Carlin.

“I actually love doing it. It’s a great way to get around the school and interact with the teachers who are in the classrooms or interact with the other students. I’d definitely like to carry this on next year, because if we don’t, who will?”

White says he hopes that other students at the school will follow their example when it comes to getting involved in the recycling program.

“Hopefully they can see us as role models and use us as a representation of what they could do,” he said.

“I think it’s a good thing to help out the community.”

Recycling collection company Green For Life (GFL) hopes to recognize the students’ contributions to the recycling program with a special award in the coming weeks.